Kauto Star - RIP

I think I have just read an article in the Racing Post about his last few days, I assume that is what you are talking about?
I'm a little surprised he didn't go to hospital sooner to be honest.
 
The reasons he wasn't moved sooner are explained in today's article. The rumours were plentiful and involved, but the truth of it is that most of us will never know for certain if there is anything in them - and that includes Laura Collett and her staff !

I'm with Alec and KautoStar1 with regard to the yard being involved, no matter what the story there, you don't behave like they all did at the time and after ( and even now!) and get upset that you weren't involved. No reason at all why they should have been.

Greatest multi distance chaser I will probably see in my lifetime, not one of my favourites but his like will certainly not be seen again for a while.
 
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I have heard more than one rumour that his injuries were not sustained in a paddock fall. I hope these are just rumours and that there isn't a cover up going on. There's been enough controversy about his retirement, I'd hate his death to be a source of even more.

RIP You wondrous, dazzling, talented boy. You will be much missed by all those who have cared for you or just loved you from afar.
 
I am really upset by the frequent references to rumours circulating about what really happened to Kauto Star and that the injuries were not sustained in a paddock accident. I understand that people may be concerned about defamation proceedings if they publicly state what they have heard but it really is an undignified end for one of the most majestic animals I have ever seen. The recent reports of his final days are just heart-breaking and I can't help but feel he has been let down by those who were responsible for his care.
 
If you read today's racing post there is an update from the 3 vets treating him which will explain a bit more about his initial injuries & how they think they worsened over the coming days. Having a horse who went A over T in the field hooning around & suffered very similar injuries, the vets report makes perfect sense.

There is also a piece where Clive Smith explains that PFN and his team had an open invitation to come to see KS at Laura's place but never took up the offer. Additionally at two Boxing Day parades none of the Ditcheat team came to see Kauto.

Finally there is a wonderful write up from Alistair Down on Kauto which I think all his fans can relate to.
 
How does Clive Smith know none of the PNs staff didnt visit him in his box when he was there to be paraded because in actual fact they did, Kauto wasnt being guarded and lots of people went to see him including some of the staff. As Paul Nicholls said now is not the time for mud slinging lets just remember this wonderful horse.
 
I don't know Dobiegirl. I am just saying that is what is reported in the RP.

But it's ok for Paul Nicholls to sling mud when it suits him but not ok for someone to retaliate ?

I'm not taking sides I don't care for either men much but I have seen mr Nicholls posts on twitter and I've seen him on the tv make comment. He can't have it all his own way much as he would like to think he can.
 
The involvement, or lack of it, from Ditcheat in KS's final days is totally irrelevant and I don't know why Paul Nicholls should think he should have been invited, although failure to notify him earlier of a press release is unfortunate. As has been said elsewhere here, no horse should be kept going simply so that the horse's previous connections could say goodbye. I for one would have refused such an invitation and tried to remember him looking fit and well and magnificent.
 
KautoStar1 said:
……..

But it's ok for Paul Nicholls to sling mud when it suits him but not ok for someone to retaliate ?

…….. .
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I agree, and as there are further press releases, which were presumably sanctioned, so the two main commentators have little to be proud of, in this deepening and sorry story. Racing has had a torrid time of it recently, this story benefits no one, and it's coupled to the loss of the animal concerned.

Alec.
 
Daffodil said:
The involvement, or lack of it, from Ditcheat in KS's final days is totally irrelevant and I don't know why Paul Nicholls should think he should have been invited, although failure to notify him earlier of a press release is unfortunate. As has been said elsewhere here, no horse should be kept going simply so that the horse's previous connections could say goodbye. I for one would have refused such an invitation and tried to remember him looking fit and well and magnificent.
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I absolutely agree.

Nevertheless a sad and tragic end for any horse.
 
Is there anywhere that I can see the Morning Line article today? I'm always out doing the horses at that time and have no means of recording programmes. I rely on the internet for this sort of thing and can't see it as being available on Channel 4 racing at the moment.
 
Is it on 4od? ( or whatever their version of iplayer is!) I know they don't tend to do the racing on catch up, but they might do that ?
 
katherinef said:
Quote from Paul Nicholls

"Nicholls revealed he only learned of Kauto Star's injuries and euthanisation earlier on Tuesday and would have liked to have had the chance to say goodbye.

"In hindsight I wish somebody had informed me and Clifford [Baker, Nicholls' right hand man] and I could have gone to say farewell to him," he said.

"Laura Collett kindly called me before there was a press release this morning. That's the first I knew about it, although I understand the accident happened nearly a week ago," the champion trainer told Sky Sports News."

That's pretty poor they weren't told.
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If the horse was suffering, why would Nicholls want them to keep it alive just so he could say goodbye? Looking at the very full information released via the Racing Post, the vets only really found out about the extent of his injuries with hindsight, as he didn't have many symptoms for days. RIP Kauto.
 
Bonkers2 said:
That's a quote out of context and under pressure from the press, its all calmed down now.
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Ooh I doubt that. Mr Nichols is adept as using the media to his advantage and saying exactly what he wants. His people management skills may be lacking but he's very media savvy.
 
I get the distinct impression that Laura Collett's the one who's being left to accept all the flack, and that in all of this, she's the one who's as innocent as the horse himself. Where are those who've got the poor girl in to this unseemly mess?

Where's her mother, and where's Yogi B? Have they accepted any level of involvement, I wonder? :)

Alec.
 
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Laura was competing at Hickstead at the time and on the racing groups Im on on fb I havent seen one word against Laura, if fact a lot of people have sympathised with her, CS though has met with a lot of flack.

I dont think Lauras mother should come into it, how do we know if she is even horsey and most probably she would have been at Hickstead with Laura.
 
Well that's interesting, Dobiegirl. The story now is that he was retrained with dressage as part of a 'comprehensive range of retirement activities' when at the time all the PR was that he was going for a new career in dressage, retiring only from racing. I can think of plenty of places he could have happily had a low level retirement. A professional event yard would not be one of them, and there's a big rewrite going on of the owner's ambitions for this horse when he retired from racing!
 
Dobiegirl said:
Laura was competing at Hickstead at the time and on the racing groups Im on on fb I havent seen one word against Laura, if fact a lot of people have sympathised with her, CS though has met with a lot of flack.

I dont think Lauras mother should come into it, how do we know if she is even horsey and most probably she would have been at Hickstead with Laura.
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Laura's mother helps on the yard check her web site
 
I believe Laura's mother plays a big part in the yard, and, as far as I can see, Yogi has been completely silent since this tragedy began to unfold.
 
I don't know why Yogi would need to comment tbh, or Laura's mother, even if she was on the yard at the time, CS and Laura spoke about the incident, that was all that was needed.
 
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I suppose people may expect Yogi to comment as Laura's trainer AND the person behind the horse coming to her yard, but no there is no real reason why he should.
Sadly regardless of how and why it happened, the delays in any information being released, the manner in which it was released - vets reports etc meant that there was huge scope for speculation. When even tabloid press and online gossip mags not usually interested in racing start to do so then it does breed further suspicion as people wonder what, if anything is being hidden.
At the end of the day, a fabulous horse is no longer with us, Laura has an empty box on her yard and a lifetime of wondering how and why it happened, and deserves our empathy at this time.
 
Yes, I expect he would be.....rats and sinking ships come to mind. I agree with most of your post just not the empathy bit.
 
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Bonkers2 said:
That's a quote out of context and under pressure from the press, its all calmed down now.
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I'd just like to point out that in no way whatsoever was Paul under pressure from the press when he gave that quote. You can 100% trust me on that. Whether or not it was said in the midst of a strong emotional reaction, that's as maybe... but I'm very familiar with the circumstances of how the quote was first given (not to Sky as it happens) and there was absolutely no pressure whatsoever
 
Bonkers2 said:
I don't know why Yogi would need to comment tbh, or Laura's mother, even if she was on the yard at the time, CS and Laura spoke about the incident, that was all that was needed.
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Except their stories did not match, that would be what most people needed to stop speculating
 
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